Temperature-controlled vending cabinet



March 2, 1954 F. Pn OSSANNA, JR

TEMPERATURE-GNTROLLED VENDING CABINET Filed Feb. 9, 1950 2 sheets-sheet1 FRED OSSANNA IR.

ATTO R N EYS' March 2, 1954 F. A. ossANNA, JR 2,671,001

TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED VENDING CABINET Filed Feb. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet2 NVENTOR FRED OSSANNA J'R.

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2, 1954 TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED CABINET Fred A.Ossanna, Jr., Austin, Tex. Application February 9, 1950', Serial No.143,279

. Claims. 1

This invention relates to cabinets for storing and dispensing articles.

One object of my invention is to provide in a temperature-controlledcabinet for storing and dispensing various articles a novel and improvedmeansl of circulating the air within the cabinet to attain maximumheat-exchange eiciency.

-A more specic object of my invention yis to 'I provide a novel andimproved temperature-controlled cabinet for storing and dispensingvarious articles-which will provide adequate air circulation thereinabout its heat-exchanging medium to permit stacking ofV said articles inspaced vertical rows therein and yet maintain such articles at` desiredtemperatures. Y

Another object is to provide for ar cabinet of the class described adispensing door which will automatically preclude access being gainedtothe interior of the cabinet at all times and thus prevent injury tothe customer or children lwho might be inclined to'm'eddle with thedispensing mechanism; Y

Another object is to provide in a temperaturecontrolled cabinet forstoring and dispensing various articles a shiftably secured panel whichwill house the selecting and dispensing controls of the cabinet and atthe same time permit visual reference by the customer to the articlesoffered for selection and dispensation.- y

Afurther object is to provide forV a cabine ofthe class described anovel and improved air directing-and driving mechanism whereby the airwithin the cabinet is circulated across its heatexchanging medium atleast twice per convolution.

- These and' other objects and advantages ofmy invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference Y characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig.- 1 is a perspective view of a cabinetembodying the invention; A

- Fig. 2 is apersp'ective View of the cabinet when the door is open witha portion broken away to for co-operation with a pair of anchors 8 whichare secured to the edge of the main body portion B of the cabinet C, asshown. Dividing the main body portion B of the cabinet C is an uprightbaiie plate 9 which extends from top to bottom and from the back wall ofthe main body portion B to a semi-transparent heat-insulating sheet I0and a triangularly shaped heat-insulating panel I I. This panel `I I andthe back AWall of the main body portion B together with two diagonallydisposed baiiie plates I2 and I3 form a casing which seals the airchamber I4 to prevent the escape of the cool air contained therein. Asshow n, the diagonal baffle plates I2 and I3 extend from the bottom ofthe upright baille plate 9 to the sides of the cabinet C. This baieplate 9 has an aperture I 5 of substantial size in its upper portion asshown in Fig. 3. Suitably secured within the main body portion B and inthe upper portion of the air chamberv I4 on a shoulder I6 which extendsaround the interior of the cabinet C, as shown in Fig. 3, are aplurality of spaced vertical dispensing racks I'I of the type disclosedin my pending application forV patent, S. N. #115,756 entitledFVendingor Dispensing Machine for Cylindrical Containers, now Patent No.2,628,875, February 17, 1953. The articles I8 to be 'dispensed arestacked and stored in these spaced racks as shown until dispensed.A The'transparent heat-insulating sheet Il] is provided with an air-tight sealand provides one wall for y the area in which the articles I8 arestored, asv

shown. It is constructed of any suitable transparent heat-insulatingsubstance and is secured to the main body portion of the cabinet by anysuitable means which Will permit easy access tothe interior for rellingtheracksI'I. Disposed just beneath the racks I 'I Vis a series ofheat-exchangshow the vertical arrangement of the articles Within; l Y

Fig. 3 -is a vertical-sectional view along `line 3-3'ofrFig- 2; Y

Fig'. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig.3.

One embodiment of my invention includes, as shown in Figs. 1-4, acabinet C which has a pianohinged type door 5. This door 5 is providedwith a coin slot 5a and a heat-insulation type gasket ing tubes or coilsI9 arranged in horizontal gridpattern, as shown in Fig. 4.

Extending transversely through the lower portion of the balile plate 9is a curved fan housing 29, the open ends of which extend slightlyupward. Mounted within the fan housing 2U on a drive shaft 2I is a fan22. The shaft 2l' is rigidly mounted in a bearing 23 which is welded orotherwise suitably secured to two bale plates 24 where they cross eachother at right angles, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. VThese baie plates 24serve to brace the shaft 2I and maintain it in rigid position. The driveshaft 2| extends horizontally through a heat-insulated fitting l3ntV inthe baille plate I3 to a motor 25 or other source of power. The motor 25is located in the recesses formed by the plates l2 and i3 outside theair chamber I4, of course, as is the compressor 2G which is connected tothe coils l for refrigeration purposes by a pair of conduits 21 and 28.The area surrounding the motor 25 and compressor 28 is ventilated bymeans of an air vent 29. The operation of the compressor 2S iscontrolled by a pair of conventional thermo-electric switches (notshown) within the air chamber i4.

The door is provided with a transparent panel 3B and a plurality ofdispensing chutes 3l which are aligned with the racks Il. Eachdispensing chute is equipped with a selection button 31a. Disposedwithin each dispensing chute 3| is'an inverted L-shaped dispensing door32 which is pivotally mounted at its corner or angle to the upper wallof the dispensing chute by a pinion 33 which in turn is mounted in thesides of dispensing chute 3|. The dispensing door 32 is faced downwardlyand toward the interior of the cabinet C, as best shown in Fig. 3, sothat one of its arms 32d is normally abutting the top wall of thedispensing chute 3l and its other arm 32h is normally in verticalposition. The edges of each dispensing door 32 are provided with a lowresistance surface to prevent the possibility of frosting and, as aresult, jamming of the door. Both of the arms 32a and 32h are ofdimensions to provide a close lit with the walls of the dispensing chute3l so as to reduce the loss of rerigeration to a minimum when an articleis dispensed.

Disposed just above the dispensing chutes 3l and insulated therefrom asshown is a compartment 34 which houses the selector switches Vand theselector control harness (not shown) which together control theselection and dispensation of the articles. Positioned just abovecompartment 3d and its associated insulation is a cold light tube 35arranged to illuminate the articles I8 and at theY same time shield thelight irom the eyes 'of the customer as he looks through the panel 30 atthe articles I8.

Operation My invention is easy and safe to operate. The customer merelyVinserts'the required coin into the coin slot 5a, and"mak'es hisselection bypressfing theselectorbutton Sla aligned with'the rack I1containing the desired.articleu ISL The selec-l tor button 3io willcause its` selector V'switch to close whereby an electricalcircuit is'established to operate the selector control harness. "The selectorcontrol harness causes the rack I1 to eject the desired article i8 intothe vend chute 3l. The article i8 strikes the dispensing'door 32 as itrolls down the dispensing chuteV incline lcausing its normally uprightportion 32h to pivot to a posi-Y tion substantially horizontal and itsnormally horizontal portion 32a to pivot to a substantially verticalposition. It can be readily seenA that whenevery the dispensing vdor 32:is moved to this position it is still impossible foranyone'to inserthis,v hands into Athe 'interior of the cabinetv and come in contact withthe dispensing mechanism. This dispensingr door 32automaticallyprecludes such an eventuality regardless of its'posi'tin'.`

The air contained within theair, chamber is circulated by the ian 2 2'.The curved shape of the` fanY housingZtl gives the air asoinewhatupwarddirection as it is expelled from the housing. This upwarddirection is accentuatedby the diagonal baille l2 to cause the air to*rise. upwardly between thecoils Ill. As the air passes across thesecoils 1B it is heated or cooled depending upon the temperature of thecoils relative to that of the air. In the embodiment shown, the coils I9are refrigerating coils and so the air would be cooled. Thereafter theair is driven upwardly between the spaced racks l1 and the articles I8,cooling the latter to the desired temperature. When the cool air reachesthe upper portion of the air chamber lll it is forced through the bailleplate aperture l5 and downwardly between the racks l1 and articles i8 onthe other side of the baille plate This air which is forced downwardlyis warmed by the articles I8 as it progresses. When it reaches the lowerlevels of the racks Il it once again passes between the refrigeratingcoils I9 whereby it is cooled substantially. Thereafter it is drawnthrough the fan housing .2Q by the lfan 22 and re-circulated.

in the racksl ll in making his selection.

provides an attractive display'for the articles lll which is renected inincreased sales of the saine. Also, the selection and dispensingcontrols are made readily accessible for inspection and repair Withoutexposing the interior cf the air chamber It to the warmer atmosphere andthereby increasev ing its temperature. These controls can be ref pairedor inspected While the door is open without any substantial increase oftemperature within the air chamber M since the only possible avenue.'

of escape of the cold air is the small area surrounding the lowestarticle I8 in each row Il'.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes'znay be made inthe forrn, details, arer rangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from. the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a cabinet for dispensing articles having opposite side walls and atop and bottom for storing articles therebetween in spaced Vertical rowsand for maintaining the air contained therein in heat exchangerelationship with the articles, an upright dividing member extendingbetween opposite walls of said cabinet, said member being formed toleave a transverse aperture adjacent the top, of said cabinet for thepassage of air therethrough, air-flowfdirecting members ex tendingupwardly and laterally from the lowetl portion of said dividing memberto said side walls to form a housing at the lower end portion of saidcabinet and outside the path of; air flow i017 hOu-S- ing generatingmechanism used for maintaining said air in heat exchange relationshipwith such articles, and means for positively circulating said-- It ispossible for the wardly therefrom in spaced relation above said bottom,the space above said shoulder being adapted for containing articlesupporting means, an upright dividing member extending between theopposite side walls of said cabinet and dening in conjunction therewitha pair of substanportion of said casing, means within said casing forpositively circulating air through said ducts and over and about thevertical rows of articles..

contained therein and a heat exchanger element traversing thecirculatory system formed by said casing and said ducts.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and said casing being entirelyhoused in a casing between said horizontal shoulder and the bottom ofsaid cabinet and defining therewith exteriorly of said second mentionedeasing a compartment for housing operating mechanism of a heat exchangersystem.

4. In a cabinet for dispensing articles having opposite side walls and atop and bottom for storing articles therebetween in spaced vertical rowsand for maintaining the air contained therein in heat exchangerelationship with the articles, an upright dividing member extendingbetween opposite walls of said cabinet, said member being formed toprovide a transverse aperture adjacent the top of said member for thepassage of air therethrough, means for positively circulating said airin a ow upwardly between the articles on one side of said dividingmember and through said aperture and downwardly between the articles onthe other side of said member and then back to said viirst mentionedside of said member, air-ow-directing members adjacent said circulatingmeans formed to impart to said air flow the directional curvaturenecessary for recirculation of said air, said air-fiow-directing membersextending diagonally from the lower portion of said dividing member tosaid side walls to form an air chamber within said cabinet and toprovide recesses beneath said cabinet and outside of the path of saidair flow for housing generating mechanism required for maintaining saidair in heat exchange relationship with said articles.

5. In a machine for storing articles in spaced vertical rows and forselectively dispensing the same, a cabinet having opposite side wallsand a top and bottom for storing articles therebetween in spacedvertical rows and for maintaining the air contained therein in heatexchange relationship with the articles, an upright dividing memberextending between opposite walls of said cabinet, said member beingformed to leave a transverse aperture adjacent the top of said cabinetfor the passage of air therethrough, a plurality of spaced heat exchangeelements extending substantially horizontally and transversely acrossthe interior of said cabinet at a level adjacent the lower end portionof said dividing member and across the entire width of said cabinet, anair chamber formed by said bottom with said side walls and disposedimmediately below said heat exchange elements, and means within said airchamber for positively circulating said air in a Iiow directed upwardlybetween the articles on one side of said dividing member and throughsaid aperture and downwardly between the articles on the other side ofsaid member and thence back between said heat exchange elements to berecirculated by said means.

FRED A. OSSANNA, JR.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 396,674 Vaughn Jan. 22, 1889 1,430,153 Copeman Sept. 26, 19221,713,333 Economos May 14, 1929 2,152,291 Starr et al Mar. 28, 19392,304,484 Smith Dec. 8, 1942 2,315,515 Gibson Apr. 6, 1943 2,389,283Stewart Nov. 20, 1945 2,466,159 Dodson Apr. 5, 1949 2,493,223 Brock Jan.3, 1950

